Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-06-21
CONFEDERATE DAYS.
Historical Sketch Of the oooupa-
tion and Battles at Hop
kinsvills.

Is. q. NJ. in Courier-Journal.l
EOn the occupation Of Hopkinsyilll
September 30, 1861, by 5000 of Ger
s. B. Buckncr's forces from Dowlin
Green, Gen. j. l.. Alcorn, of Missis
sippi, took command, making hi
headquarters in the Bank of Ken
tucky bnildiug, the banks books an
assets having already heen silentl
removed to Louisville. Gen. Thigh
man succeeded Alcorn, remaining
about month, when he was ordere,
10 fortify Fort Henry, on the Ten
nessee river, In anticipation of tn
advance of the Federal gpnboats
Gen. Clark, of Mississippi, succeeded
Tilghman, and remained until thl
advance Of Gen. Grants army upol
Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. Thu
Ilopkinsville camp was then broker
up and the troops withdrawn to TAX,
part in that memorable lombard
ment, whose startling thunders were
distinctly heard In Ilopkinsville
thirty miles away.
lIopkinsville, now containing 6,00(
inhabitants, the capital Of the banner
wheat aud tobacco county of Ken.
lucky, had at that time population
Of 1900. Its nearest railway station
was Guthrie, twenty miles distant, oil
the Louisville and Nashville railroad,
II was Union stronghold. Gen. j.
y. Jackson, Coils. J. II. Duckncr, Wal
ter Evans, B. II. Bristow, L. A. Star
ling, S. NJ. Startling, Maj. John w.
Breathitt, Capis. Lewis Buckner, w.
L. Buckner, Lieuts. Boyd Mercer,
Newton Petree, Ned Campbell, ID.
Claggeit, f. Startling, d. Il. Under
wood, Lsrkin Coleman. Kelly aud
Ashford had Joined the Union army.
Coils. II. w. Henry, L. A. Syperi.
Tom Woodward, ii. @. Leavell, Mai.
Caldwell aud Capts. Darwin Bell and
Ned Meriwether had Joined the Con-
fedcrateH, with many more In town
and country. 1t speaks volumes for
the character and noble spirit of the
people that, all through the excite
ment and tumult of war, personal
collisions aud neighborhood feuds
were few.
THE CAMPS.
The Confederates entered the town
by the Madisonville road with "Stars
and bars" flying, 10 the lively tune
OF "Dixie." Col. Henry Durnett's
Eighth Kentucky regiment camped
st the Fair Grounds. The First Mis-
sissippi. Col. Hamilton, camped at
Duprey's bridge, two miles from
town, on the Greenville road: the
Third Mississippi camped ON the Dry
branch. near William Shipp's; the
Seventh Texas, commanded by Col.
Gregg, prominent lawyer, and
warmly praised by the Unionists for
his refinement and magnanimity,
camped in Phelps grove,on the river,
below the town. Gen. Forests caval-
ry pitched their tents in Glass grove,
Mr.. d. E. Randolph's resi-
dence on the Madisonville road, the
famous cavalry leader making the
house his headquarters. There were
besides two or three companies of
Green's Kentucky Artillery and Ross
Battery.
The weather was ofsummer warmth
At the time of tho occupation, and
many of the soldiers wore light cloth
ing, lilly suited 10 the sudden changes
Of q Kentucky autumn.
Many of the troops were soon, af-
terward sent of TO points of active
hostllities aud greater importance,
and the average number of soldiers,
until the battle of Fort Donelson, was
about l 200.
"BLAcK MEASLES"
As the season advanced the soldiers
began to suffer for want of warm
clothing and blankets. The needs of
the army in actual service were SO
pressing and the Confederate stores
so meager that II was impossible to
relieve the wants of camp like that
Of llopkinsville. "Black measles
as the soldiers termed the dreaded
scourge of the camp, broke out among
the troops and spread so rapidly that
The whole encampmant became one
great hospital. Suitable food and
were lacking. The SUR
geons, many Of them young and in
experienced, were unacquainted with
the treatment of disease In a strange
locality. Tents, blankets, cots, nurses
and remedies were wholly insufficient
10 meet the sudden demand. While |
measles ravaged the camps, drencll-
ing cold rains set in, striking the
sick with a death-chill. and the NOR
Iality became appalling. Pneumonia
md erysipelas followed, and bafiled |
he efforts Of the surgeons. More
han three hundred soldiers were
by sickness at once. II
was reign Of terror.
TEN CHURCHES, COLLEGES, HOTELS AND
RESIDENCES TAKEN FOR HOSPITALS.
Tho old Presbyterian, Methodist, |
Cumberland Presbyterian
md Colored Baptist churches, South |
and Bethel Female Col
eges, County Seminary, Rittcr's Ho-
lel and Mr.. b. e. Randolph's residence,
hen Forests headquarters, ON the |
Nashville road, were filled with sick |
md dying soldiers to overlooking.
particularly officers, were
AIKEN 10 private houses aud cared for.
Mr., Thomas Green, an elder of Ninth
street Presbyterian church says
Every pew in the church was occu-
'ied by sick soldlerp DIR. Kitchell,
If Kentucky; Drs. Hill and Saun-
lcrs, of Mississippi; DIR. Linthicum
ind Dir. Cowan, of FORESTS cavalry, |
we're among the surgeons.
woMAN's MINISTRY.
Tho ladies organized society and |
detailed two Of their number to visit
zach hospital daily. Their noblo
ministrations, in furnishing clean 1
linen and preparing food were CRATE
rul beyond expression to the sufferers,
scores Of whom were mere boys. |
they toiled brayely, as Florence
herself, waiting ON and
reading to the sick, and often III ten
ierly caring for the dead but what
;ould they do sufficient TO relieve the
ofa camp of l,200 soldiers,
more than half Of whom were on the
i Oh l;of No ,rrctro,voi a N IN a fran hloo